Tuesday.

Photoes show corners of the garden. In fact opposite corners of the garden.
Been a pleasantly relaxed day. Spent most of it in the workshop pottering at odd jobs. This afternoon Ann went into Ipswich on the 'bus (senior citizen's 'bus pass). Couldn't go with her as Neil, our computer engineer was due to call in, which he did. He put various minor problems to rights. Ann went to Ipswich market and bought various vegetables and fruit, all of it very fresh. Had some of it for supper, then had our usual game of scrabble. Must knock off and clean boots ready for the morning. Goodnight all.

P.s. Christopher. I always write up my blog late in the evening. It's like keeping a journal. No point in doing it until the day's nearly over, so you can record what's happened during it.

Sunday.

Yesterday evening went to a barbecue given to celebrate the return home of two of our townsmen. They have both cycled from Land's End to John o' Groats to raise money for the Cancer Research Charity. One of them is sixty five, and the other, Jimmy, a friend of ours, is seventy. They did the journey in a fortnight, averaging about seventy miles per day. I think that this is a remarkable, and admirable achievement!!!!
Took the above photo after we'd walked home, about ten at night, of high, wispy, slightly luminous looking clouds, in a nearly dark sky.

This morning motored to London to pick up the crossbow that Grandson Matt bought at auction. The above photo shows our youngest daught, Liz (Matt's mama), in her front garden just off Chiswich High Street. She gave us a very fine barbecued meal in her secluded (for London) back garden. Odd that - haven't been to a barbecue in ten years, then go to two of them in as many days.
Driving home decided to give the Satnav its head, and it brought us home through the centre of London, and eventually onto the Southern end of the A12. This probably saved us ten miles over our usual route home (North Circular, A25, and A12), but put about half an hour ON the journey. We've decided not to come home that way again. Game's not worth the candle.
Ten o'clock. Ann's just gone up, so must I. Good night all.

Thursday.

Went to Sudbury this morning to do some shopping, and as it turned out, some socialising (met old friend so went off for a coffee to catch up on all the news). Doing odd jobs in the workshop this afternoon and evening.
Above photoes taken on Monday during our evening stroll. Top one taken by Ann up on the railway walk. I took the one of Ann when we were nearly home. Time to knock off now, I think. Goodnight.

Wednesday.

Got up at 5.45 this morning, loaded the car, and at 7a.m. set off for Long Melford. The above photoes are all of Long Melford High Street. It is, as the name suggests, a very long village. One main street with many lovely old buildings therein . Been a fairly successful, and very enjoyable day. But a L O N G     O N E, so am off to bed now. Good night all.

Tuesday.

Yesterday (and to a lesser extent today) the sky has had lots of high whispy cloud. Mares' tails they were called when I was a boy, and I was told that they heralded a change in the weather. Given our very changeable English weather, I should think that could be said (with a fair chance of being accurate) of any cloud formation.

Went for a walk along the Railway Walk, our old railway branch line - pre Dr. Beeching, yesterday evening, and took the above snapshot of this row of five almshouses. Or, more probably, four almshouses, and a warden's cottage at this end. I was told by one of our amateur architectural historians that she has recently proved these almshouses to have been built in the year 1550, whichwould mean during the short reign of Edward VI, I think. They are owned by our town council and let to single people in need of accomodation, which I should think is fairly near their original purpose.
Been pottering in the workshop most of today as we shall be attending the Long Melford Antique Fair tomorrow. This will mean an early start and (hopefully) a busy day tomorrow, so I'll bid you all a very Good Night now.

Sunday.

After supper we played a game of scrabble (no firworks this time). Then just before 9 o'clock, it was such a lovely evening we decided to go for a walk. The top picture shows the river Brett at the bottom of Tinker's Lane. The second photo shows sunset over Suffolk; Holbecks Park to be specific. Goodnight all.

Saturday 2.

I reopen today's blog to record the above game of scrabble played by Ann and meself after supper. Near the top right hand corner I'd put 'fib' and Ann then laid down 'abstains' making a triple-triple score of 99 points, and claiming the extra fifty points for laying down all seven letters made it up to a score of 149 points (a personal best). The final score was Ann 460 points, and meself 380 points, giving us a combined total of 840 points.

Saturday.

Took the above two photos of the centre of our town yesterday morning whilst doing a little shopping. The above one is of our market place (Friday morning being market day). Didn't buy anything, although there is butcher from Woodbridge who has one of the market stalls and sells the quite superb pork pies he makes. Still, as Ann reminded me we are trying to lose weight, so resisted temptation. The shop to the right of the lower picture is our local hardware store. The present owners have had the shop since 1823 (it was probably four centuries old when they took it on). They keep a really good selection of stock (much of it very old stock) and the staff take a pride in finding whatever is wanted, so I almost invariably purchase something when I walk through this shop.

The top photo is of a thoroughly dramatic sky I took late one evening this week. As the poet Belloc said of the Papa's proposed purchase of the yak 'I cannot be quite certain which' (evening this week that is). Being called upstairs to supper now, so will wish you all a very good night.

Friday.

Walking home from Cafe Church this morningI took photograph's of two of my neighbours' homes, with flower bedecked frontages. The top one uses a planter on the doorstep (that door isn't much used); the second photo is of Polly's house with hollyhocks along the front. A bit later in the year the hollyhocks will take over their bit of pavement and crowd us all onto the street, but nobody minds because they are a lovely show.

Arrangement on our dining table, of sweet peas from the garden, on a tray cloth that Ann embroidered a few years ago.

Thursday.

Must just record that yesterday morning we were having coffee in the garden when I spotted the above photographed insect. It looked very like a small humming bird as it hovered in front of the lavender flowers and fed. I got a couple of photoes, neither of them good. This morning it turned up again, I got a better look at it; was still unable to get a good photograph, but when I looked it up found that it was a humming-bird hawk-moth. Beautifully marked and it's action when feeding was exactly like that of a humming bird. Apparently, because of the warm weather this year lots of them have flown up from North Africa.
Unless, of course, it was really a humming bird, which because of the warm weather had flown across from North America ????????

Ann's brother Mick came to lunch and stayed until about four p.m. After lunch we sat round the table and put the world to rights. Hope the world appreciates our concern and efforts.

Wednesday.

Last Thursday I told you that I'd left half a dozen bids with grandson Matthew on today's Sotheby's Arms and Armour sale. This morning I 'phoned Matthew to 'up' one of the bids (on a large sporting crossbow) a little. He 'phoned just before 5p.m. to tell me that bidding in general had been high, but that he'd successfully bid for the crossbow, and bought it for quite a lot less than I'd authorized him to bid this morning. He'd been underbidder on three of the other bids, but two of the items had doubled their top estimate. I asked him if he'd had any problems and he said only one. When the hammer had fallen to him for the crossbow, he'd got his bidding paddle in the catalogue, and the man next to him had to tell him to hold the paddle up so the auctioneer could see the number on it. He'd also gone to the accounts office on his own initiative, got the invoice, and was able to tell me the exact sum I now owed Sotheby's. I think he'd done very well, and told him so.

The top photo is of the rose bed outside my potting shed/forge, and shows my two anvils (the smaller one slotted into the larger). I very rarely need them nowadays, but when the need arises nothing else will do. The lower picture shows sweet peas which are now being swarmed over by scarlet runner beans, so that later this year we should be well supplied with beans. I've also put in with them a few Morning Glory/Ipomea - 'heavenly blue', which I try and grow most years (with varying success). We'll see.

Tuesday.

Woken from a brief post prandial zizz (afternoon nap Lori) by a crash of thunder that sounded like the crack of doom, and could hear a howling gale going on with horizontal sheeting rain, lightning, etc. Took the above photo from almost the same point from which I took one yesterday and waffled on about a lovely blue summer sky. Should have kept me trap shut (remained silent, Lori). I didn't take this from quite the same spot as it would have meant getting soaked, so being a custard (short for cowardy custard, L.) I took the photo through the kitchen window. Still, I suppose the garden needed it. And as far as I'm concerned the garden's welcome to it.

Monday 2.

Even a scruffy old toolshed can look pretty good in a garden, in June, under a clear blue sky.

Monday.

For the benefit of Christopher and my old friend (well, early middle aged friend) Forde-Innes (and it's good to hear from you again, Neil), the two photoes  show  a snaphaunce lock (above, as befits its seniority) and,  the one below, a flintlock , both detached from their guns. The below picture shows the outside of the locks, and the above picture their innards. The differences between the two then become so obvious as to require no further explanation; except perhaps I should say that the snaphaunce has a  pan cover separate from the steel, whilst the flintlock has a combined pan cover and steel.
Perhaps though, I should also say that the above picture makes it clear that the true flintlock employs a vertically acting scear, whilst this snaphaunce lock (being early Italian) uses a horizontally acting double scear, rather like, as you've probably already spotted, the wheel lock does.
P.s.  I should, perhaps, have made it clear that I am, of course, using Torsten Lenk's definition of the true (or French) flintlock.
All clear now chaps?

Sunday.

Spent the weekend with brother carl, and sister-in-law Judy in the midlands. Judy is a superb gardener (and cook - and hostess). Above is snapshot of delphinium petals fallen onto hosta leaves.

Above snapshot is of Great Aunt Ann with great niece Lottie - now eight months.

Mother and daughter - niece Jessica and great niece Charlotte (now generally known as Lottie).

Last Friday to Cafe church, then on to Lavenham where we had excellent lunch with friends John and Margaret, retired dealers. I have always said that antique dealers never really retire; they just get steadily more in keeping with their stock. John proved the truth of this by (despite having retired some years ago) selling me two swords and a flintlock pistol (to be pedantic- it was a snaphaunce lock pistol).
After usual excellent lunch provided by Margaret motored over to the midlands. Rotten journey. A14 blocked solid in Cambridge area, as was every other road we tried within miles of Cambridge. Finally fought our way through St. Neots, Kimbolton, and back to reasonably clear A14. Arrived at Carl and Judy's just after eight p.m. Had lovely weekend with them, and motored home this afternoon, Ann driving. Good journey. Stopped in nice, shady, lane just outside Milton for a quick zizz (both of us). Then I took over the driving for the rest of the way home.
Thank you Margaret and John for a superb lunch; and thank you Carl and Judy for a lovely weekend.
And, of course, I wish all my readers a very Good Night.

Thursday.

Now to try and catch up a bit. On Saturday last motored over to a school reunion. Above photo shows group of doddering old greybeards bellowing away at the school song ('Fory Years On' - although it was fifty some odd years on in fact), photo taken by Ann, who obviously felt that soft focus might be kinder. Stayed over with old school friend (and childhood neighbour) of Ann's.

On Monday morning Ann dropped me off at Manningtree Railway Station, where I caught a train to Liverpool Street.  Ann stayed at home because we were having a new gas boiler delivered and installed. I was in London (staying over at youngest daughter Lizzie's) to view two auctions at Christie's. At the second viewing (of Christie's Arms and Armour) I ran across Thomas Delmar (Sotheby's Arms and Armour) who kindly offered me a private preview of his next week's auction (thus saving me another two days in London next week). On Tuesday morning therefore viewed Sotheby's Arms sale with grandson Matthew. On asking Tom for a  bidding form he suggested that it was probably time Matthew started bidding for me!!!  Matt (who will be eighteen in August) shied away from this idea, but when he realised that there were only half a dozen lots that interested me, thought that perhaps he might be able to cope with these. So yesterday afternoon at Christie's Arms sale (to give him a bit of practice) I handed my (clearly marked) catalogue, and bidding number over to Matthew, and told him to get on with it, which, rather to the surprise of both of us, he did. We were in the front row (so I could hear the auctioneer), and he (the auctioneer) helped. He took Matt's bids, glancing at me for confirmation of the first few, then we all three found it was going well and relaxed. Matt bid for seven lots, didn't get any of them (although he was under bidder on two of them); But it has given him (and me) confidence for next Wednesday when he'll be bidding on his own- again with a clearly marked catalogue. Anyway I know Thomas will be keeping a helpful eye on him. Filled my three days in London to the full. Yesterday, before the sale, which was an afternoon one, gave Matthew and granddaughter Beth lunch at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where there is a good (and not too expensive) canteen. Caught the seven thirty train from Liverpool Street. Ann met me at Manningtree, and we were home by nine.

Spending today catching up (and catching me breath, if I'm honest).

Friday.

Been a busy day. Went to Cafe Church this morning, where our friend the Rev. Joyce W......... had just been presented with a fan by Jackie and Martin who were back from a cruise. Above snapshot shows Joyce fluttering her new fan.
Just got in from a quiz we took part in this evening as two of a team of six - didn't do very well - still it was good fun. Goodnight all.

Friday.

Bunch of larkspur and cornflowers I bought Ann earlier in the week - catching yesterday evening's light  in the drawing room.

Got up early this morning - ostensibly to make us a cup of tea, but as Ann was sound asleep when I came down it seemed a pity to wake her. Been pottering about my workshop/study for a while- looking through old blogs. It's now nearly quarter to eight, so I think it's now a respectable time to be presented with an early morning cuppa, so will go upstairs and make one (or rather two). I wish any readers a very Good Day.